Spill hazardous to fish ties up resources

Rain washing a toxic roof coating into city storm drains caused substantial spill response by the Little Lake Fire Department and Willits public works personnel Thursday.

Crews were called out at 9:30 a.m. to contain the runoff from John's Place Kwik Stop roof at 255 East Commercial Street. The runoff was contained in the parking lot and nearby storm drains were covered. Only after the roof was totally power-washed and steam-cleaned that evening could crews return home.

The state Office of Emergency Services was notified of the spill by local responders. An inspector from the Mendocino County Environmental Health Department monitored the situation. Wardens from the California Department of Fish and Game are expected to conduct an investigation into the cause of the potentially toxic runoff.

The runoff was apparently the result of a failed attempt to coat the Kwik Stop roof with Henry Enviro White Roof Coating. The coating was not dry when the rains came, and apparently washed into the storm drain, according to sources at the scene.

The coating is not considered hazardous to humans, but is potentially toxic to fish.

The roof was thoroughly cleaned after the spill kept recurring as each new rain shower passed overhead.

The Material Safety Data Sheet for the coating advises to avoid runoff of spills to waterways and sewers. It contains the fungicide chlorothalonil as well as aluminum trihydrate and titanium dioxide.